Rochester News

Bills owner buys unsold tickets to avoid blackout

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) _ The Buffalo Bills say team owner Ralph Wilson is buying the remaining tickets for Sunday's home game against the Cincinnati Bengals, preventing what would have been the NFL's first local television blackout this season.

Bills President and CEO Russ Brandon said Friday morning that Wilson has guaranteed the purchase of the unsold tickets for the game. The team had announced that 5,300 tickets still remained as of Thursday afternoon, when the NFL granted the Bills a one-day extension to avoid a blackout.

Buffalo sold out its first three home games but has thousands of tickets remaining for the final three games to be played at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Buffalo's Dec. 1 home game against Atlanta will be played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.